Singapore - Public raises concerns over healthcare costs, manpower capacity

SINGAPORE: Healthcare initiatives raised during the recent Budget debate were mostly well-received by the public but some lingering concerns remained over rising costs and manpower capacity.

Over 100 participants took part in a dialogue session on Sunday, chaired by Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister of State Amy Khor.

Better health insurance coverage and more subsides are the focus of the Healthcare 2020 Masterplan.

But while the government makes efforts to provide relief to those who need it, there are concerns this may lead to higher costs in the long-term.

"You are giving benefits on one side but it might come back and haunt citizens again through the insurance companies in terms of higher premiums," said one participant.

Another participant said: "The government might feel a little bit of a pinch giving out more and more. But how far can you go by giving out more and more and more?"

Mr Gan responded: "Firstly, we change the way we do things to make sure the cost maybe will still go up, but slower than what it would have been had we not done it. Secondly, we want to make sure that we encourage people to use the right level of medical care so that you don't consume medical services that are unnecessary."

Mr Gan added there are measures in place to help off-set premium increases on MediShield, such as GST vouchers for the elderly.

Manpower capacity was another concern raised by participants, made up mainly of healthcare workers and grassroots volunteers.

"If the government wants to lower the number of foreigners who come in, how do we then manage and calibrate it so we have good nurses and other healthcare professionals who want to come in and boost our healthcare system," asked one participant.

Dr Khor replied: "We will increase the local intake here but we will also try and get more of our Singaporeans who are studying overseas to come back. That itself may still not be sufficient, especially in the short to medium term. We will still have to continue to attract some of the foreigners who are trained in recognised universities to come to Singapore to provide services."

In conjunction with this feedback exercise, REACH also conducted a telephone poll to assess Singaporeans' reactions to Budget 2012. And when it came to healthcare, the policy that was most well-received was increasing subsidies in the Intermediate and Long-Term care sector.

Other issues raised at Sunday's dialogue session included more public education on healthy eating habits, better communication between hospitals and patients and making inter-hospital transport wheel-chair friendly.

- CNA/fa 



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